Motorcycle collision with log truck on Merchant Road in Forks

On Tuesday, Jan. 7 at approximately 5:07 p.m. Deputies from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Forks Detachment were dispatched to the report of a vehicle collision at 1001 Merchant Road, Forks. The collision was reported as a motorcycle versus log truck. Deputies from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and arrived at about 5:08 p.m.

Upon arrival deputies located a dirt bike (off road motorcycle) lying in the southbound lane of Merchant Road. The rider of the motorcycle was a fourteen-year-old boy who was lying on top of the dirt bike. The log truck was parked on Hemlock View Road approximately twenty feet from where the dirt bike was at rest. The juvenile dirt bike rider spoke to the Deputies and complained of pain in his arm and leg.

A few minutes after the Deputies arrived, members of Forks Clallam County Fire District one and Forks Emergency medical personnel arrived on scene. The juvenile was transported to the Forks Community Hospital by ambulance.

During the collision investigation, Deputies interviewed a witness who said the log truck was headed northbound on Merchant Road and turned left onto Hemlock View Road. The truck had all of its lights on and did not appear to be traveling very fast. The dirt bike was traveling southbound on Merchants Road at a high rate of speed and the dirt bike was not equipped with any lights. The dirt bike collided with the rear passenger side of the log truck. The log truck had already turned onto Hemlock View Drive but the back end of the truck was still on Merchant Road as the dirt bike ran into the back end of the truck.

Deputies interviewed the driver of the log truck who was identified as thirty-year-old Drew Boucher who owns the truck and lives in the Forks area. Mr. Boucher said he had been traveling northbound on Merchant Road and turned left onto Hemlock View Road from Merchant Road. Mr. Boucher was turning onto Hemlock View Road when he noticed the dirt bike coming towards him at a high rate of speed. The driver barely saw the dirt bike as it was a dark and rainy night and the dirt bike was not equipped with a headlight. The driver watched the dirt bike start to slow down rapidly. The driver thought he had made the turn and the dirt bike had passed him. The log truck driver then heard the crash and stopped his truck immediately in order to check on the condition of the dirt bike rider.

Deputies later learned the juvenile dirt bike rider sustained a broken scapula during the crash and also received third-degree burns as a result of coming into contact with the dirt bike’s muffler after the bike had crashed on Merchant Road. The Juvenile was later transported to Harborview by ambulance. His injuries were considered serious but not life-threatening and he is believed to be in stable condition. The Juvenile was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision which most likely kept his injuries from being more severe.

Investigating Deputies determined the rider of the dirt bike did not possess a valid Washington Drivers license and is not yet eligible to possess a license as he is only fourteen years of age. The dirt bike was not licensed and was not equipped with any headlights or taillights. The dirt bike was not legal to be driven on a public highway which is a violation of RCW 46.09.470.1 Off-Road Vehicle driven on roadway.

At this time the driver of the log truck is not believed to have committed any traffic violations; however, Washington State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers will be inspecting the log truck in order to make sure it was working properly at the time of the collision. The collision is still under investigation by the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.